Margaretha Zelle was born in Leeuwarden in 1876. She moved to Paris in 1903. Under the stage name Mata Hari, which is Malay for 'eye of the dawn', she performed so-called authentic Asian dances dressed in only a sarong and a jewel-encrusted bra. She was a hit in Parisian nightclubs and performed all over Europe. The First World War brought an abrupt end to her career. The French government accused her of spying for the Germans and she was executed by firing squad in 1917 following a short trial. As a seductive spy, she was purported to have gained important official secrets from various officers. Her body was given over to medical research.
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